They electrified the 1970s with their high-school romance, but now John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John have re-enacted their role as innocent lovers 34 years on to raise money for charity with a Christmas record.

Their dance moves may be slightly less agile, but their faces look as young as they did three decades ago. Some commentators have described the accompanying video as "creepy and odd".

Travolta, 58, and Newton-John, 64, who rose to fame playing Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen in the 1978 hit film Grease, about the romance between two students in the 1950s, have reunited to release an album of Christmas songs.

The album was produced to raise money for a range of charities for children and disabled people. Among the other big names featured on the collection are Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Kenny G and Cliff Richard.

Newton-John said she wanted to make an album of songs that could be sung around the house at Christmas. "My desire was to make This Christmas an intimate album, not something too ostentatious or showy. Gathering around the house listening to Christmas music has always been an important part of that time of the year to my family," she said.

The video for the first single released from the album, I Think You Might Like It, has met with mixed reactions. One tweet said: "This has blown my mind. Oddest video ever." Another said: "This is the most awkward Christmas song with Olivia Newton and John Travolta."

• This article was corrected on 7 December 2012 because the original photo caption called Olivia Newton-John Oliver Newton John.